Governor's Inn a Travelodge by Wyndham

The friendly, welcoming staff made a big difference during my week here. They went out of their way to help, and I appreciated the daily turndown service, which you don’t always get at fancier places. Breakfast each morning was a simple but enjoyable continental spread. The building is a bit dated, so I had some doubts at first, but my room was spotless, comfortable, and well cared for. A good option if you’re visiting Pierre.

A friend had spoken so highly of this hotel, but arriving here was a big disappointment. We couldn’t afford another room and, since we booked through a third party, there was no refund. At breakfast, gnats and fruit flies were all over the juice machine, there were no coffee cups out, and the coffee was full of grounds. The pastries were cut in half, the sausage didn’t look cooked, and the eggs were watery. The front desk guys seemed almost asleep when we checked in and looked at my family like we were lost. I asked about the pool because a sign said it was closed for maintenance; he said it was open, just really cold, and the kids didn’t mind. But spray insulation was falling into the pool, and the hot tub had a nasty film and bubbled like a toilet. Nothing I’d been told about the place turned out to be true.

We have low expectations for hotels as a family, but this place was beyond awful. The heater was so loud we needed earplugs to sleep, and the room was freezing when we arrived. Once we turned on the heat, my wife came in and panicked because the room smelled like fire. Half the lights didn’t work, and the bathroom fan sounded like someone running a shaver next to your ear. The hall door let light in from the corridor, the water pressure was awful, and sharp things stuck out of the bed frames. We found a balloon and garbage under a chair, boogers on the sink, and a filthy phone. I’m sure housekeeping only makes the bed. We were afraid to take our socks off. The TV didn’t work, and when we finally reached the desk after getting no answer, they wanted us to change rooms to fix it, several hours into our stay. The pool area was closed, and I could see why: the hot tub was green and there was a layer of bugs on the pool water. Staff were pleasant enough. The “gym” was one treadmill and one exercise bike, both looking like thrift store finds from around 1984 and ready to fall apart. A dumpster fire would at least suggest it was warm inside. It wasn’t. DO NOT STAY HERE.

We stayed Christmas Eve. The staff were friendly, but our room had been missed and wasn’t cleaned, with dirt all over the floor. I was disappointed that the pool was closed, though I understand maintenance has to be done, so that part didn’t upset me too much.